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Miller Claims Final Downhill Training

Bode Miller finished .66 seconds ahead of Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal to take the victory in the final downhill training run Saturday at the Sochi Olympic venue. (Getty Images/Clive Rose)

ROSA KHUTOR, Russia (Feb. 8) – Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) finished .66 seconds ahead of Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal to take the victory in the final downhill training run Saturday at the Sochi Olympic venue. Miller also won the opening training run and was sixth in the second, solidifying him as a favorite in Sunday's medal event. Joining Miller on the men's downhill team is Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA), Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA) and Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT). The Olympic downhill is scheduled for Sunday Feb. 9, and can be streamed live on NBCOlympics.com at 2:00 a.m. EST. The event will also be featured on NBC’s prime time Olympic coverage at 7:00 p.m. EST Sunday.

HIGHLIGHTS

Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) finished .66 seconds ahead of Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal to take the victory in the final downhill training run Saturday at the Sochi Olympic venue.

He had originally planned to ski easy in a few sections, but only backed off in one spot of the course, putting him well ahead of the rest of the athletes.

The five-time Olympic medalist has skied the technical top section of the downhill flawlessly all week and has mastered his position off the four mammoth jumps.

Miller also won the opening training run and was sixth in the second, solidifying him as a favorite in Sunday's medal event.

The Olympic downhill is scheduled for Sunday Feb. 9, and can be streamed live on NBCOlympics.com at 2:00 a.m. EST. The event will also be featured on NBC’s prime time Olympic coverage at 7:00 p.m. EST Sunday.

QUOTESBode MillerIt’s a pleasure for me to ski on this track. I would be angry with myself if I had wasted this opportunity to properly run on this track. It tests your ability to the maximum. The idea is to be unbeatable. I’m going to be ready. I want to win.

Marco SullivanThe course is actually holding up really well. It’s getting a little bit icier, a little bit faster each day. Bode skied it great. The guys are skiing it really smooth and strong. Sometimes after so many training runs the course can get really hacked, but this one is staying in good condition and guys are going to be able to go 100-percent. It will be the ability of the athlete that’s going to win it, not the course conditions.

Steve NymanI really wanted to push the line on top and that’s where Bode has set himself apart from everybody else, because of his ability to push the line and just stick to it. I’m skiing well, but I’m skiing round. He’s just covering a lot less distance and is hammering. I tried that today but I definitely stood up on the bottom just to conserve energy.